Electromagnetic contact device



V. C. WYNYE. DECD.

M, WYNNE. Ammasmm'on.

ELEJTROMAGNEHC CONTACT DEVICE,

APPLICATION FILED JAN.6,1919.

Patented Sept. 12, 1922,

INVENTOR. BY W (,6 04

* ATTORNEYf.

Patent ed Sept. 12, 1922.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VALENTINE C. WYNNE, 0F ALBANY, NEW YORK; MARY WYNNE ADLHNISTRATOR OFSAID VALENTINE C.

WYNNE. DECEASED.

ELECTROMAGNETIC CONTACT DEVICE.

Application filed January 6, 1919. Serial No. 269,801.

T 0 all u-bom 2'2 may concern:

Be it known that I. VALENTINE C. VYXNE, a citizen of the nited States,residing at the city of Albany, in the county of Albany and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inElectromagnetic Contact Devices, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to a new device or combination of parts for makingand breaking the operating electrical contacts of electro-magneticallyoperated apparatus of any type which involves repeated mechanicalmovements of a vibratory. oscillating, or reciprocating character; andmy invention is particularly applicable to large electric bells 0rgongs, and to electrically operated mallets, hammers. pendulums,door-openers, and other apparatus involving repeated similar movementsof a soft-iron armature or core actuated by means of electro-magnet-icforce, and in which such movements are arranged to be controlled by themaking and breaking of the energizing electric circuit at predeterminedpositions of such armature or core by means of opposing make-and-breakcon tacts and not by means of a revolving commutator.

The principal objects of my invention (necessarily.considered inconnection with its application to some useful movement,

such as, for instance, to an electric bell, as

shown upon the accompanying drawings) are, first, to allow the operatingelectrical contacts of the movement concerned to be in proper contactwhen the movement is at rest and while the external part of theenergizing electric circuit is open (as at the push-button, switch. orother controlling device used), so that the working armature of themovement may be ready to respond at once when such break in the externalpart of the circuit is closed; second, to enable the operatingelectrical contacts of the movement to remain closed during the forwardor attracted movement of the working armature or core, until such timeas the armature or core shall have reached a desired and predeterminedposition not far from the end of its forward movement; and, third, toallow the operating electrical contacts then to open (and thus torelease the armature or core from further attraction) and to separaterapidly and clearly, and to remain open until the released armature (nowmaking its return or backward movement) shall have reached a suitableand predetermined distance from its forward position and not far fromits normal position of rest. so that the free backward or returnmovement of such armature or core shall not be impeded by undesiredmagnetic attraction until it has reached such predetermined position,when the operating contacts again close and the working armature or coreis ready for a repetition of its movement in case the external parts ofthe electric circuit still remain closed. The useful object to beattained by these three features of the operation of my device is toincrease the effective pulling distance of, and to give a more sustainedand more powerful magnetic pull upon, the working armature or core ofthe mechanism or apparatus concerned, with a correspond ing increase inthe energy of the stroke of the hammer (or other device used for theapplication of the force of the .workin armature), than is obtainablewithout the use of my contact device and with the same stated above areattained in the manner hereinafter described. Briefly, my inventlonconsists in having one member of the make-and-break or operatingcontacts of the apparatus concerned mounted upon, or suitably actuatedby, the working armature or core of the bell, hammer, or other mechanismor apparatus, in substantially the usual or an equivalent manner; whilethe other member of the operating contacts is mounted upon a movablesupporting member of suitable form (designed or modified to suit theparticular conditions of the ap plication concerned), and so arrangedthat. such movable member is moved in one direction by means ofelectro-magnetic attraction, and is caused to return to its originalposition by means of a. spring or by gravity or in other manner tosuitthe particular mechanism concerned, and operates in such manner asto give the desired results already described.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 shows a front elevation of acomplete electric bell or gong, with the addition of my device ashereinafter described in detail, with all moving parts in their normalposition of rest. Figures 2 and 3 show in detail the essential movingparts of the Same bell and contact device, but in different relativepositions. All similar parts shown in the three views are marked withsimilar reference letters; and in these three figures all parts areshown in project-ed view, except that, for clearness, the workingarmature member A, is shown in section at and adjacent to the hole H.Fig. 4 shows a side view of the armature A.

It is to be distinctly understood that I am not now concerned with theparticular form of the bell or other piece of mechanism to which myinvention may be applied, and that my invention is not in any waylimited to the particular form of the contact device as shown upon thesedrawings; and that the particular form of hell movement shown, and themanner in which my invention is applied thereto, as shown, are selectedmerely for convenience of illustration to indicate one simple andpractical form in which the application of my invention can be easilymade, and in which form the general action of the contact device coveredby my invention can be easily and clearly shown. Incidentally it may bestated,-however, that in the case of large electric bells or any otherpowerful electro-magnetic movements made up with a similar swingingarmature, it would not be satisfactory to mount such working armatureupon a vibrating spring member as shown, but it would have to be mountedupon substantial trunnions or pivots, or in other satisfactory manner,in order to maintain its alignment and its proper position at all pointsof its stroke or movement.

The following is a detail description of .the application of myinvention to the electric bell shown upon the accompanying drawings:

In Fig. 1, M and M are the poles of a bipolar electro-magnet. A is thesoft-iron working armature, and is shown as mounted upon a flat springmember L fastened to the rigid post K. The armature A has a hole Hthrough it (as indicated also in Fig. A), of ample size to clear themember B in all operating positions, but not so large as unduly toreduce the surface of the armature A exposed to the magnetism of thepole M The armature A is shown as carrying one member D of the operatingor make-andbreak contacts, and also the rod R with its hammer-ball W. Tand T are the usual binding post. X is a hell or gong. The stiffness ofthe armature spring L and its form and position are all supposed to beadjustable, so that the position and range of movement of the workingarmature may be adjusted as desired. The rod B and the ham mer-ball Ware supposed to be properly adjusted with regard to the position of thebell and of the armature A, and with regard to the strength of theenergizing current, to

give the most effective blows. The magnet poles are supposed to beprotected by means of a thin coating of copper or paper, or in othersatisfactory manner, to prevent the armature from sticking due to theresidual magnetism after the current is broken upon the opening of theoperating contacts.

In Fig. 1, B is a small auxiliary armature of soft-iron, shown mountedupon a fiat spring member E, which in turn is held upon the rigid postJ. In the form shown, the armature B is held to the spring E by means oflock nuts, and is adjustable to desired position, and is electricallyinsulated from the spring E by means of fibre or similar washers and byan insulating bushing. The member E also carries the movable contactmember C, which is electrically and mechanically clamped to the member Eby means of lock nuts, and is adjustable to desired position with regardto the opposin contact member D. The spring member E and the attachedsmall armature B and the movable contact member C are all supposed to beeasily adjustable to desired relative positions. The length andstiffness of the supporting member E, and the size and weight of theparts which make up the little armature l8 and the movable contactmember C, are all so designed and adjusted, with regard to the workingarmature A and its at tached rod R and hammer W and its controllingreturn spring member L, that the natural and controlled vibrationperiods of such member E, with its attachments, are appzeciably shorterthan the natural and magnetically controlled vibration periods of theworking armature A, with its attachments.

In Fig. 1, F is a rigid post to which is affixed an adjustable set-screwG (or any equivalent adjustable device), which simply serves the purposeof limiting the backward or return movement of the member E carrying theauxiliary armature B and the movable contact member C, and dampens outany undesirable free vibration of such members. a

The electric circuit of the bell shown is from terminal T to post J, toarm E, to the movable contact member C, thence to the opposing contactmember D, then through the working armature A and its supporting arm Lto the post K, then around the magnet coils and to the other terminal TThe operation of my invention, in connection with the bell movementshown, is as follows: When the parts are in their normal position ofrest, as indicated in Fig. 1, the operating contacts C and D are closed,as shown, and, if the external part of the energizing electric circuitis then closed (through a push-button, switch, or other device), theelectro magnet cores M and M become energized and they attract theworking armature A and the auxiliary armature B. As the auxiliaryarmature B, with its attached holding arm E and movable contact C, has adecidedly shorter vibration period than that of the heavier workingarmature A, with its attached parts, there is no tendency for thecontact member D to be immediately drawn away from the opposingcontactmember C but, instead, the armature B hastens to reach the magnetpole M and thus causes the movable contact member C to be forced tightlyagainst the contact D attached to the more slowly movmg working armatureA. The several parts are so adjusted that the auxiliary armature Bbrings up against the pole M before the working armature A reaches themagnet poles, and when the armature A reaches such position (determinedby trial and adjustment) as the strength of the energizing electrlccurrent and the weights of the connected parts render advisable; so thatthe further small advance of the heavy working armature A, due to theinertia of the parts, causes the operating contacts C and D to open thecircuit and thus deenergizes the magnets M and M after which thereleased a-rmatures B and A, in turn. begin to return to their backwardor rest positions. (The return or backward movements of the working andthe auxiliary armatures may be effected by the spring of the supportingarms-as in the case of the bell movement shown-or by independentsprings. or by gravity, or by magnetic force. or by any other specialmeans provided, as the nature and size of the mechanical movementconcerned may render advisable.) As the vibration period of theauxiliary armature B and the attached movable cont-act member C isshorter than that of the working armature A with the attached contactmember D, the contact member D does not overtake and again come intocontact with the contact member C until the auxiliary armature B hasreached the limit of its backwards motion. or some predeterminedposition not far therefrom; at which point the operating contacts C andD are again closed, and the working parts are then in position and readyto begin a repetition of the movements provided the external part of theenergizing electric circuit is till closed.

Fig. 2 shows the working parts in the position when the auxiliaryarmature B has come into contact with the end of the magnet core M (or,it might be, against any other suitable adjustable stop provided forsuch purpose), and the Working armature A has advanced slightly furtherand has caused the separation of the working contacts C and D, as abovedescribed. Fig. 3 shows the same parts, but in the position 7 when thelight auxiliary armature B and its attached movable contact member Chave finished their return stroke and have substantially come to rest.while the working armature A. with its attached contact member D. hasnot yet traveled back quite far enough to bring .the contact member D upagainst theopposing contact member C.

My invention covers all necessary parts required for affording theelectrical contact features described. whichbriefiy--consist in (1)making contact at the desired position of the working armature of themechanism concerned, maintaining the contact firmly during the wholelength of travel of the working armature of the mechanism. and (3)quickly and positively breaking the working contacts at the desiredposition of the working armature. and keeping the contacts separatedduring substantially the whole or at least during the greater part ofthe return or backward motion of the armature, and again closing thecontacts at substantially the end of the backward movement of thearmature.

In the particular bell movement shown on the accompan 'ing drawings, Iutilize the same magnet or a part of it) for operating the littleauxiliary armature of the contactdevice proper as is used for operatingthe working mechanism or armature of bell; and for convenience. in thiscase the auxiliary or contact-device armature is arranged to workthrough a clearance hole in the main or working armature. These featuresmay advantageously be applied in many cases, where the mechanisminvolved will lend itself easily to similar construction,- but suchfeatures of design are merely incidental and they do not necessarilyconstitute any part of my invention as herein described; and myinvention is by no means limited in application to mechanisms of suchform and nature as will readily allow of the use of similar constructionfor operating the armature of the contact-device. here the design of themechanism proper makes this preferable. the auxiliary contact-devicearmature may be so designed and arranged as to be electrically operatedby a separate magnet or solenoid. located as conditions of designrequire, but energized by the same electric circuit as, and usuallyconnected in series with, the main working magnet or coils of themechanism concerned. In the bell movement shown, the contact-device isso arranged as to cause the make-andbreak working contacts to be keptclosed by electro-magnetic attraction (acting upon the small auxiliaryarmature) during the forward or attracted movement of the Workingarmature, and the contacts are caused to separate by the action of aspring, but, in some special application of my device, it might be foundpreferable to let the contact members be kept in contact by means of asuitable follow-up spring during the forward or attracted movement ofthe working armature and then, at the desired position of such armature,to be instantly separated (and kept separate until the working armaturehad returned to the position desired) by a suitable magnet acting uponthe auxiliary armature properly arranged therefor; in which case themagnet or coil for operating the contact-device armature would beenergized by the same electric circuit as used for the working magnetsof the mechanism but would usually wound to much higher resistance (soas not to pass enough current to noticeably energize the workingmagnets) and would be connected in shunt across the break between theworking contacts. I still other cases, it might be found desirable touse a combination of both methods, that is to cause the working contactsto be kept in contact, during the forward movement of the workingarmature of the mechanism concerned, by means of an electro-magnetconnected in series with themain working magnets, and then also to becaused to separate by means of another electro-magnet connected acrossthe break between the working contacts. All of such difi'erent caseswould simply be modified ap plications of my contact-device as hereinparticularly shown and described.

it am aware that prior to my invention several expedients, all more orless similar to each other, have been in use, designed to maintain theelectrical contact of the makeand-break contacts of electric bells,during the forward movement of the armature, but these have been purelymechanical modifications of the spring members carrying the movablecontact members and have not been electro-magnetically operated; and allof such expedients which I have seen have had the disadvantage that theydid not remove the contacts sufficiently far apart after the attractedmovement ofthe working armature had been finished, but, instead, theyallowed the contacts again to close (and to energize the workingmagnets) long before the working armature had reached its normalbackward or rest position and before it had been withdrawn beyond theeffective magnetic field of the attracting magnets. I, therefore, do notmake any particular claim for the eflicacy of the sustained-contactfeature of my device, considered alone, but I claim the-device in itsentirety and i its complete operation as hereinabove described.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patentis 1. In a device for making and breaking the operating contacts ofelectro-magnetically operated apparatus, the combination of anelectro-magnet; two reciprocatory armatures which are acted upon by theelectro-magnet during a period in the operation of the device, saidarmatures being so designed and mounted that they move at relativelydifferent rates of speed; and electric contacts carried by and with thearmatures', and adapted to make and break the operating circuit when thearmatures are in suitable relative positions.

2. In a device for making and breaking the operating electrical contactsof electro magnetically operated apparatus, the combination of a numberof electro-magnets; two independently mounted reciprocatory armatureswhich are acted upon by the magnet or magnets during periods in theoperation of the device, one of said armatures smaller and lighter thanthe other and so mounted and actuated that it moves in its path towardsor away from its controlling magnet in less time than does the otherarmature; electric contacts carried by and with said armatures; andadjustable means for limiting the movement of the lighter armature andof the contact member carried thereby.

3. In a device for making and breaking the operating electrical contactsof electromagnetically operated apparatus, the combination of anelectro-magnet; a main armature with an orifice therethrough; anauxiliary armature mounted to reciprocate in and through said orifice;contact members carried by and with said armatures and so arranged as tomake contact and to separate when said armatures reach predeterminedrespective positions in their paths of travel.

4. In a device for making and breaking the operating electrical contactsof electromagnetically operated apparatus, the combination of anelectro-magnet; a main armature arranged to be acted upon by theelectro-magnet, and having an orifice therethrough; an auxiliaryarmature arranged to be acted upon by a part of said electromagnet, andso mounted as to move freely through the orifice in the main armature inapproaching and receding from the electromagnet; electricalmake-and-break contact members carried by and with the armatures, and soarranged as to make contact, and to separate, when said armatures intheir courseof travel reach predetermined positions relative to eachother and to the magnet; means for limiting the travel of the auxiliaryarmature in either direction, adjustable as to its movement away fromthe electro-magnet; and means of adjustment for the contact membercarried by and with said armature.

5. In a device for making and breaking the operating electrical contactsof electromagnetically operated apparatus, the combination of anelectro-magnet; two spring members independently mounted; main armature,actuated by said magnet in the operation of the device, mounted on oneof said spring members; an auxiliary armature also actuated by themagnet in the operation of the device and mounted on the other springmember; contact members for making and breaking the actuating electriccircuit, one of said members being adjustable, carried by and with thespring members; means for arresting the forward movement (that is,toward the magnet) of the auxiliary armature, and an adjustable stop forlimiting the backward movement of the spring member carrying saidarmature; means for adjusting the relative position of the acted-0n endor face of the auxiliary armature with regard to the spring member onwhich it is mounted, and means for electrically insulating said armaturefrom the said spring member.

In testimony whereof he has afiixed his signature in the presence of twowitnesses. VALENTINE C. WYNNE.

Witnesses:

WALTER E. WARD, MINNIE MONTANYE.

